Mental Health Champions: Why & How Dr Aurielle Williams of TruHealing Addiction and Mental Health…

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Mental Health Champions: Why & How Dr Aurielle Williams of TruHealing Addiction and Mental Health Treatment Centers Is Helping To Champion Mental Wellness

…Me time — I schedule 45 min before my bedtime just for peace and quiet. I lay in my bed with low lighting and soft music playing, which allows my mind to wind down and become quiet. This in turn enables a more restful night of sleep and rejuvenation. It also allows me to check-in with myself regarding my immediate needs.

As a part of our series about Mental Health Champions helping to promote mental wellness, I had the pleasure to interview Dr. Aurielle Williams.

Dr. Aurielle Williams is the Regional Executive Director of Georgia at TruHealing Addiction & Mental Health Centers. Dr. Williams is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Clinical Supervisor and Domestic Mediator. In her professional capacity, Dr. Williams has been in clinical practice for several years specializing in trauma, suicide awareness and prevention, as well as family preservation. Dr. Williams attended Auburn University where she earned her undergraduate degree and continued her academic journey at Mercer University School of Medicine, where she received her master’s degree. Dr. Williams continued her academic pursuit at Walden University where she earned her doctorate degree in Human and Social Services. Most recently, Dr. Williams also completed her MBA in Healthcare Administration.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?

Sure, I grew up with my parents in Overland Park, Kansas, as an only child, who loved playing sports, volunteering, and being involved in all that my time would allow. I played softball and basketball up through high school. I was the president of the chess club, and even was a finalist in the State of Kanas chess championship my senior year! Growing up, I was always inspired by my parents and their successes in their academic and professional careers. As a result, I constantly strive toward reaching a high bar of excellence.

You are currently leading a social impact organization that is helping to promote mental wellness. Can you tell us a bit about what you or your organization are trying to address?

At TruHealing here in Georgia, we are working to minimize the disenfranchisement and marginalization that individuals with mental health or substance use disorders commonly experience. By providing quality, ethical, and client focused care, we acknowledge the privilege extended to us by our clients to be a part of their journey. We service clients from an approach that aligns their needs and wants with clinical efficacy. We want to partner with those in our care and with their families to address their recovery from a systemic approach, and understand that, we are only a part of a singular step in their journey. However, their family, community, and resources outside of our facilities will provide much needed long-term support. We want to empower these resources to advocate for our client’s needs and restore balance to their lives.

Can you tell us the backstory about what inspired you to originally feel passionate about this cause?

Life is hard…it is truly difficult for some people. It can be quite complicated and discouraging attempting to navigate a system that you do not understand, combined with feeling lost and frustrated with the lack of helpful support. As a mental health advocate, I strive to provide validation for needs that are not being met, while also striving to reduce some of the confusion and frustration experienced by individuals who struggle with behavioral health challenges. We all need a little help on occasion-someone to listen to our needs and provide assistance with gaining direction — someone to effectively navigate our challenges. I have worked with a number of individuals from various backgrounds of trauma, despair, and pain. The ability to provide support to people in their time of need is extremely rewarding.

Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest them. They don’t get up and just do it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and do it? What was that final trigger?

I believe that COVID was one of those main triggers. To see so many families struggling with how to deal with a world that became so uncertain, essentially overnight, was very difficult to watch. Individuals worrying about their careers, finances, and health all while trying to help their young child complete their schoolwork online, highlighted the varying levels of challenges faced by many people. I realized in those moments that I had education, skills, and tools that would benefit these people to assist in compartmentalizing their tasks, validating their experiences, and equipping them with the skills to appropriately respond to their emotions as they manifest themselves.

According to Mental Health America’s report, over 44 million Americans have a mental health condition. Yet there’s still a stigma about mental illness. Can you share a few reasons you think this is so?

As a culture, our prevailing norm of behavior stipulates that we must always give the appearance that we have everything together, with no blemishes or shortcomings. It is quite unsettling to expose your vulnerability by sharing with someone that “things” are not okay. No one likes to feel less than or inadequate. Accordingly, asking for help is a hurdle that we have not yet overcome as a society.

In your experience, what should a) individuals b) society, and c) the government do to better support people suffering from mental illness?

  1. Take care of yourself! Remember that your employer, your family, and your friends need you to be at your best. It is imperative for mental wellbeing to separate from stressful activities, conversations, and/or tasks. Creating boundaries and holding yourself and others accountable to them is also a form of self-care and perseverance.
  2. Society is an intangible object. As a people, a community, a culture, we are each trying to do the best we can with what we have. Extending grace and empathy, along with exercising a bit of patience can go a long way.
  3. The government and policy makers could improve workforce productivity by mandating that companies include “self-care days,” or requiring insurance coverage to include mental health evaluations on a yearly basis. Annual physicals are the norm with primary care physicians. Why not have an annual mental health evaluation? Increasing access and normalizing mental health care can provide much needed support for individuals struggling because in many instances, they do not have other options available to them.

What are your 5 strategies you use to promote your own wellbeing and mental wellness? Can you please give a story or example for each?

  1. Setting Boundaries — Work can be very stressful. Having an hour after the workday to drive around, listen to music, or get a sweet treat, helps refill my emotional tank daily.
  2. Unplugged Weekends — I spend the weekends trying to diligently avoid using electronics (e.g. television, computer, tablet, etc.) It helps to give my mind a break from sensory overload, which often occurs during the week.
  3. Sleep, Sleep, and More Sleep! This is one that I struggle with; nevertheless, it remains front of mind. The average sleep of 8 hours per night just is not sufficient to enable my best functioning. I have found my sweet spot to be around 9 hours of sleep each night for optimal functioning.
  4. Home cooked meals- I really enjoy cooking and baking. I love the food of course, but also the process of getting there. I enjoy the mental break from other stressors, for example doing something with my hands that has a yummy reward. I try to cook my meals nightly. 15 min or 30 min meals have been a lifesaver for me.
  5. Me time — I schedule 45 min before my bedtime just for peace and quiet. I lay in my bed with low lighting and soft music playing, which allows my mind to wind down and become quiet. This in turn enables a more restful night of sleep and rejuvenation. It also allows me to check-in with myself regarding my immediate needs.

What are your favorite books, podcasts, or resources that inspire you to be a mental health champion?

Currently, my team and I are reading “Hardwiring Excellence,” by Quint Studer. In this book, he discusses the state of affairs in healthcare and how identifying your purpose, matching it with worthwhile work and then making a difference in patient’s lives creates the wheel that healthcare professionals strive to achieve. We are in a business of saving people’s lives. Accordingly, mediocrity is not acceptable. I want to strive to be the best healthcare provider I can be and develop my team to be the strongest as well. Our weekly “Leadership Book Club” provides a forum for us to discuss our readings, how we want to improve in our respective operational areas, in addition to identifying professional development opportunities as leaders.

If you could tell other people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?

It feels good. It is rewarding because the result is for a greater cause. Healthcare is not a one-person show. It truly is a team sport. At some point during the course of life, everyone will interface with the healthcare system. Ensuring that all entities within the system are performing at their highest capacity will serve us all well.

How can our readers follow you online?

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/dr-aurielle-c-williams/

They can also reach out to my 24–7 admissions line for help, 855–80-SOBER

This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!


Mental Health Champions: Why & How Dr Aurielle Williams of TruHealing Addiction and Mental Health… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.